Rhodes Scholarships

Each year 32 young Americans are selected as Rhodes Scholars, through a decentralized process representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Applicants from more than 300 American colleges and universities have been selected as Rhodes Scholars. Kira Allmann '10 is the College's most recent Rhodes Scholar.

Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead. The Rhodes Trust, a British charity established to honor the will and bequest of Cecil J. Rhodes, provides full financial support for Rhodes Scholars to pursue a degree or degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The first American Rhodes Scholars entered Oxford in 1904.

The potential applicant must be: a citizen of the United States; at least 18 but not yet 24 years old (i.e., the applicant must still be 23 on October 1 in the year of application); sufficiently advanced academically to assure completion of a bachelor's degree before October 1 in the year following election.

I. Preliminary Application - due by noon on July 15

The preliminary application questionnaire, a Banner transcript, and a list of activities of not more than 2 pages (all in Word format) may be submitted to [[lmgrim, Lisa]] at any time and no later than 12:00 noon on Tuesday July 15, 2014. Potential applicants are encouraged to submit these materials well in advance of July 15.

II. Campus Application - due by noon on Wednesday, September 3

Members of the campus nomination will review the prelimary application materials and respond to potential applicants within fourteen days of submission. Candidates who are asked to submit a full application will also receive instructions for their recommenders.

Note that a request for a full application is not a guarantee of the College's endorsement.

The full campus application is due by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, September 3. In addition to the materials already submitted, the full campus application includes:

A signed personal statement describing your academic and other interests. This statement should describe the specific area of proposed study and the applicant’s reasons for wishing to study at Oxford. This personal essay must not exceed 1,000 words in length and should be written in as simple and direct a manner as possible. It should be set in a typeface no smaller than 10 points. Selection Committees will place special emphasis on this personal essay, and it will be sent to Oxford colleges to which Rhodes Scholars-elect apply for admission. Applicants must read and follow the Requirements for Personal Statement.

A minimum of five and a maximum of eight letters of recommendation, at least four of which must be from individuals who are qualified to advise selection commmittees about the applicant's academic ability and standing. You must give each person asked to write on your behalf a copy of the Letters of Appraisal information sheet for W&M applicants as well as a copy of your personal statement. The recommenders must email their letters to [[lmgrim, Lisa Grimes]] by the 12 noon Wednesday, September 3 deadline. If the candidate is nominated by the College, s/he will register the recommenders on the Rhodes website and they will upload their letters directly.

III. Interviews - September 8-15

The campus nomination committee will review the applications and issue invitations to those selected for interviews. Interviews will be held shortly after the campus deadline. The interview will last approximately 20 minutes. At the completion of the interviews, the committee will select the College's nominees and all applicants will be notified of their status.

IV. Fine Tuning - September 15-October 1

Candidates chosen as nominees will have time to fine tune their application materials prior to submitting them to the District Committee of Selection designated by the campus nomination committee. The final applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. EDT on October 1, 2014.

V. District Interviews

District receptions and interviews will be held on the Friday and Saturday preceding the Thanksgiving holiday. Notifications regarding interview status will be made no later than November 1.

VI. Rhodes Scholars Named

Election announcements are made following the conclusion of the Saturday interviews.